Halle Berry Has Something Sad to Say About Her Historic Best Actress Oscar Win

Halle Berry made history back in 2002 when she became the first black woman to ever take home the Oscar for Best Actress. Now, the Kings star is revisiting the topic, and her take is a surprisingly less than celebratory one. Instead, what she has to say about her big win is surprisingly sad (albeit totally legitimate), as she challenges Hollywood’s failure to progress when it comes to diversity, inclusivity, and representation.

“Wow, that moment really meant nothing. It meant nothing,” the 50-year-old actress told Teen Vogue during a recent interview. Her comments were in reference to the fact that while Ruth Negga was nominated to take home the same award for Loving this year, there hasn’t been another WoC Best Actress winner in the past 15 years since. “I thought it meant something, but I think it meant nothing,” Berry said.

She may indeed have a point. According to the “2017 Hollywood Diversity Report” released by the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA, minority actors remain “underrepresented on every front.” The 50-year-old likely hoped that her win would be the start of change for women of color, but has been understandably disappointed.

While the stalled state of the industry might have frustrated Berry to the point of stepping back, she instead is using it as her fuel to fight. “It inspired me to get involved in other ways, which is why I want to start directing; I want to start producing more,” she revealed. “I want to start being a part of making more opportunities for people of color.”

See a problem? Create the solution. Talk about inspiring.

What do you think about what Halle Berry has to say about her Oscar win? Let us know @BritandCo!